Hurricane Charley (2004)

Hurricane Charley occurred between 9 and 14 August 2004. Hurricane Charley strengthened rapidly just before striking the southwestern coast of Florida as a Category 4 hurricane. Charley was the strongest hurricane to hit the United States since Andrew in 1992 and, although small in size, it caused catastrophic wind damage in Charlotte County, Florida. Serious damage occurred well inland over the Florida peninsula. Inundation up to 4.2 feet above ground level was observed along portions of Florida coast. Maximum sustained winds up to 78 knots were recorded during this Hurricane in the United States. There was a total of 10 fatalities in the United States with about $7.4 billion property damage [NOAA, 2004]1.

The National Hurricane Center's Tropical Cyclone Reports (formerly called Preliminary Reports) contain comprehensive information on each storm, including synoptic history, meteorological statistics, casualties and damages, and the post-analysis best track (six-hourly positions and intensities).

The NWS conducts service assessments of significant weather-related events that result in at least one fatality, numerous injuries requiring hospitalization, extensive property damage, widespread media interest, or an unusual level of scrutiny of NWS operations by the media, EMs, or elected officials. The intent of service assessments is to thoroughly evaluate the NWS performance and ensure the effectiveness of NWS products and services in meeting its mission.

This report summarizes the observations, conclusions, and recommendations of the Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) deployed by FEMA on August 19, 2004, in response to Hurricane Charley. The team assessed damage across the width of the storm track, from its landfall near the communities on Sanibel and Captiva Islands to inland areas around Orlando. The MAT visited the following towns: Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Punta Gorda Isles, Sanibel Island, Captiva Island, North Captiva Island, Fort Myers Beach, Bokeelia/Pine Island, Cape Coral, Arcadia, Gardner, Zolfo Springs, Wauchula, Bowling Green, Fort Meade, Lake Wales, and Orlando.